Paper-feeding machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

O. G. HARRIS.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. G. HARRIS. PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

No. 579,362. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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CHARLES G. HARRIS, OF NILES, OHIO.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,362, dated March 23, 1897.

Application filed March '7, 1894.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. HARRIS, of Niles, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Printing-Presses and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in printing-presses, and relates more particularly to feeding-attachments therefor which are also applicable to folding or other similar machines.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and hi ghly-efficient means for raising the feed-table and maintaining the top of a pile or stack of paper thereon at about the same horizontal plane relative to the feedroller or gripper.

A further object is to provide a new and improved form of rubber or puller for feeding the paper to the press, and a further object is to prevent any small pieces of paper torn by the holding-needle from passing to the press-rolls.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with certain parts in dotted lines and other parts being broken away or omitted, showing a printing-press provided with my improvements. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the rubber or puller. Figs. 4 and 5 are details. 6 is a view illustrating the operation of the rubber.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the framework of the press; a, the upper typecarrying cylinder a, gear-wheels on the journals thereof, and a the impression-cylinder, having a disk a on one of its journals.

B is the horizontally-disposed feed-table, havinglateral lugs b, movable in grooved posts I) of frame A. This table is mounted on a threaded screw-rod b which works in a clasp U, internally threaded and secured to frame A. By turning this screw-rod in the clasp b the table can be raised or lowered. On a Serial No. 502,739. (No model.)

lower reduced extension I) of this screw-rod is keyed a horizontal ratchet-wheel O, and beneath said wheel passes a swinging arm 0', loosely pivoted on said extension of the screwrod. At its outer end this arm is connected by a link or strap D to a right-angular lever cl, fulcrumed at d to frame A and having its long arm slotted to receive a bolt 61 connecting the lower end of a pitman d which latter is connected at its upper end to thedisk a of the impression-cylinder. Upon the swinging arm 0 is mounted a pawl E, a spring E, and a double magnet e, which when charged will cause a pivoted arm 6 to strike against the pawl E and force the same into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, as against the tension of spring E. connected two wires, which lead to a tubular sleeve 6 supported by an arm or bracket 2 secured to a cross-bar e of frame A, the upper ends of said wires being extended above the upper end of said sleeve. A battery e is located at any desired point. If desired, one of said wires maybe omitted and the conducting metal of the press be used to con1- plete the circuit.

F is the holder for resting upon and engaging the top of the pile or stack of paper, and it consists of a vertical shaft or spindle To the magnet e are movable up or down in sleeve 6 and having a needle 1'' projecting from its lower end. Upon this shaft, above the sleeve, are two or more horizontally-disposed weights f, which serve to force the needle into the top of the pile. hen lowered, the weight will contact with both of the wires, thus closing the circuit and causing the pawl to be forced into engagement with the ratchet-wheel on the screw-rod of the table, effecting the turn ing of said rod and the elevation of the table a sufficient distance to elevate the weight out of contact with the wires. This mechanism may be reversed, so that the pawl will be forced out of engagement with the ratchet wheel when contact ismade by an upward movement of the holder, if so preferred. A loose ring or weight G incloses the lower end of the holder-rod and bears upon the top of the pile of paper, said ring being preferably cut away at g to form an opening. This ring by its weight, as the topmost sheet is pulled forward, serves to complete the tearing off of the small pieces of paper loosened by the needle-point, which pieces will work out under the ring and may be blown away through the opening at g by any suitable blower, a support 9 for the blower-pipe being extended from sleeve 6 In this way the small pieces torn from the edges of the paper sheets are prevented from getting into the press and on the ink-rollers. It often happens that the needle of the holder, in puncturing a sheet of paper and causing a slight tear in the edge thereof as the sheet is fed forward, will in some instances cause a slight piece of paper to be only partially torn off. In such event the adhering piece, upon coming in contact with the lower inner circular edge of the weighted ring, is completely separated, and thus prevented from passing with the sheet onto the cylinders of the press. The pile or stack of paper is held in proper position, with the edges of the paper true, by upright rods 9 two or more being placed at one or both.

sides of the pile and one or more at the outer end thereof. The bases g of these rods are adjustable, preferably in slots in the top of the table B. The sheets of paper are held up to the side rods by a spring-arm H, extending from a horizontal arm h, adjustable on the crossbar e by a bolt extended through a slot h in said cross-bar. This, together with the rods g, serves to keep the pile in proper position and provides for true feeding parallel to one side of the pile of sheets. The topmost sheet may be fed to the registering mechanism by any horizontal motion-giving arm, drag, or rub, or by the revolution of a cylindrical rubber tangent to its top surface, and actuated by suitable connections with the rotating part of the press; but my preferred form is shown in the drawings, in which I is the rubber or puller for feeding the topmost sheet of the pile to the paper-registering mechanism preparatory to positioning the same on the impression-cylinder. It comprises a short bar 7;, having rubber points or teeth 1', two posts 11 secured to a cross-bar i and two corresponding arms J, to which said cross-bar is connected, said arms J being connected at j to the axis of the typecarrying cylinder. The forward free ends of these arms J are designed to travel on in clined guide-plates], having shoulders at the lower ends of the inclines and secured to the frame A.

The rubber or puller travels on an approximately straight horizontal line when moving rearward or toward the press, and as the paper is fed sufficiently forward to be acted upon by the registering mechanism, the free ends of arms J contacting with the shoulders of the inclined guides, the rubber or puller is elevated out of contact with the stack of paper and its return movement is on an elevated plane until the limit of the return movement of the arms J is reached and the free ends of said arms are at the upper ends of theinclines,

arm are first adjusted to hold the pile of pa per in the proper position on the feed-table and the latter is so adjusted that the top of said pile will be in proper alinement with. the impression-cylinder and registering or positioning mechanism, and the weighted holder is caused to bear upon the top of the pile near its end, the needle thereof puncturing the top most sheet or sheets. As the press is operated the revolution of the type-carrying cylinder will cause the rubber or puller to feed the topmost sheet of the pile forward to the i1npression-cylinder or receiver, as the case may be, the needle of the holder allowing one sheet of the paper only to be readily drawn from the top of the pile, and any little piece torn from such sheet, or partly so, is caught by the ring inclosing said needle and prevented from passing to the press. As the sheets of paper are thus removed from the pile the holder gradually lowers, and upon the weight thereon coming in contact with the electric wires the pawl is thrown into e11- gagement with the ratchet-wheel and the screw-rod is turned by the movement of the pitman connected to the impression-eylinder, thus raising the feed-table a sufficient extentto place the top of the pile or stack of paper in alinemen t with the paper registering and positioning mechanism, as before. hen the circuit is broken, the pawl is immediately thrown out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, permitting the arm carrying said pawl to continue its movement, in conjunction with the impression -cylinder, without operating the ratchet-wheel, whereby the elevation of the table ceases the moment the circuit is broken, and it remains stationary until a suliicient quantity of paper has been removed to lower the weight and close the circuit again. In some instances, however, where the thickness of the sheets of paper so warrant, the pawl may be constantly in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, so that the feed-table will be slightly raised at each operation, the extent of the throw of the swinging arm being regulated by the connection of the pitman to the slotted arm or lever or by the number of teeth on the ratchet-wheel C.

From what has been said it will be seen that I have provided simple and efficient means for effecting the feeding or supply of paper to a printing-press, paper-folding machine, or the like, and that the top of the pile is kept on a uniform plane by the gradual elevation of the feed-table, as may the top of a pile of sheets or plates of wood or metal fed to any machine, the needle having been withdrawn from the holder, of course, which elevation is automatically controlled by the height of said pile. A feeding-machine thus constructed is accurate in its operation and the feed-supply is uniform and automatically IIO regulated and greatly accelerated, the constant attention of an operator being unnecessary.

\Vhile I have shown and described my improved feeding-talole and regulatingmeans in conjunction with a printing-press, yet itis obvious that the same may be used with equal advantage on a folding-machine or the like, the invention not being limited in this respect.

It is also obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, particularly as regards the pitman and lever-arms, forming the connection between the impres sion-cylinder and the swinging arm. My improvements are of equal advantage in feeding sheets or plates of wood or metal to any ma chine, it being necessary, however, to omit the needle of the weighted holder.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a printing-press or the like having a rotary cylinder, a verticallymovablc table for holding a pile or stack of paper, a screw-rod connected to said table and engaging a stationary clasp, a ratchet-wheel on said screwrod, a swinging arm carrying a pawl and a magnet in close juxtaposition to said pawl, connections between said arm and said cylinder, a vertically-movable holder for engaging the top of said pile or stack of paper, electrical connections bet-ween said holder and said magnet, and a circuit-closer carried by said holder controlled by the position of the top of said pile or stack, substantially as set forth.

2. In a printing-press or the like having a rotary cylinder, a vertically-movable table for holding a pile or stack of paper, a screw-rod connected to said table and engaging a stationary clasp, a ratchet-wheel fast on said screw-rod, a swinging arm pivoted on said screw-rod and carrying a pawl for periodically engaging said ratchet-wheel, a magnet, a pivoted arm for engaging said pawl designed to be operated bysaid magnet, a vertieally-movable holder engaging the top of saidpile or stack of paper and having a projecting portion, a support for said holder, an electric wire or wires connected to said magnet and also to said support and designed to be en gaged by said projecting portion of said holder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a printing-press or the like having a rotary cylinder, a vertically-movable table for holding a pile or stack of paper, a screw-rod connected to said table and engaging a stationary clasp, a ratchet-wheel fast on said screw-rod, a swinging arm pivoted on said screw-rod, and carrying a pawl, a spring normally holding said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, a pivoted arm for forcing said pawl into engagement with said ratcl1et-wheel,a magnet on said swinging arm for operating said pivoted arm, a verticallymovable holder designed to rest upon the top of such pile orstaek andhaving an upper hori- 'zontal projection, a support therefor, and

electrically-charged wires connected to said magnet and also to said support and extending above the top of the latter, substantially as set forth.

4. In a printing-press having a rotary cylinder and a feed-table designed to hold a pile or stack of paper, a rubber or puller designed to engage the top of such pile or stack, and comprising arms connected each at one end to said cylinder and guide-blocks with which the free ends of said arms engage, whereby the rubber or puller is caused to move in a horizontal plane when in contact with the top of such pile or stack and to be elevated therefrom in its return movement, said rubber or puller being carried by said arms, substantially as set forth.

5. In a printing-press having a rotary eylinder and a teed-table designed to hold a pile or stack of paper, a rubber or puller designed to engage the top of such pile or stack, and comprising arms connected each at one end to said cylinder, and guides having inclined portions with which the free ends of said arms en gage, and shoulders at the ends of said inclined portions, said rubber or puller being connected to said arms and caused to move in ahorizontal plane when engaging the top of such pile or stack and elevated therefrom in its return movement, substantially as set forth.

6. In a printing-press having a rotary cylinder, and a feed-table designed to hold a pile or stack of paper, a rubber or puller comprising a bar having teeth or projections for engaging the top of such pile or stack, a crossbar to which said former bar is connected,

two correspcndin g arms supporting said cross bar, said arms being connected to said cylinder, and guide-plates having inclined portions with which the free ends of said arms are designed to engage, and shoulders at the lower ends of said inclined portions, substantially as set forth.

7. The herein described improved jobprinting press, comprising two rotary cylinders, a vertically-movable table for holding a pile or stack of paper, means operated by one of said cylinders for effecting the gradual or periodical elevation of said table, a rubber or puller extended transversely across said table and designed to engage the top of said pile or stack, arms eccentrically connected to one of said cylinders and to which said rubber or puller is attached, and means with which said arms engage for causing said rubber or puller to travel on an approximately horizontal plane parallel with the top of said table in its rearward movement, substantially as set forth.

8. The hcreindescribedimproved printingpress, comprising two rotary cylinders, a vertically movable table for holding a pile or stack of paper, means operated by one of said cylinders for effecting the gradual elevation of said table, a rubber or puller operated by one of said cylinders and designed to remove the topmost paper of said pile or stack and comprising arms connected to the other one of said cylinders, and guide blocks with which the free ends of said arms engage, said rubber or puller being carried by said arms, whereby said rubber or puller will be caused to travel on an approximately horizontal plane parallel with the top of said table in its rearward movement, substantially as set forth.

9. In a printing-press or the like, a holder designed to rest upon the top of a pile or stack of paper having a reduced or pointed end, and an inclosing ring surrounding the said pointed end of said holder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a printing-press or the like, a holder having a needle at its lower end designed to rest upon the top of a pile or stack of paper, and a ring inclosing said needle and having an opening or cut-away portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES G. HARRIS.

\Vitnesses V. II. SMILEY, GEO. W, UProN. 

